Fix
by cracked-out
Summary: Dean appreciates Carter taking care of him in more ways than one. Explicit Dean/Carter. Drug use/recovery from. Original bunny from LJ friend, and posted on LJ with different name.


**Fix**

**Spoilers: Purity, K-town, Shot in the Dark**

**Summary: Dean appreciates Carter's caretaking side even more now.**

**Warnings/notes: Explicit slash. Original bunny from a friend on LJ, who wanted Dean drugged and Carter being the one to get him through it and who also provided read-through services and thoughts on this. (So yes, drug use and withdrawal happen. I cheated a little by having Dean dosed with a designer mixture). This is posted on LJ under a different pen name. Three cheers to another friend on LJ who provided beta services above and beyond the call of duty.**

Dean feels like shit right now. The last thing he remembers is shooting up to prove his bona fides. He has no idea how he managed to get back to the hotel room "Dean Fielding" is staying at--hell, he has no idea even what _day_ it is. He's freezing even with the covers pulled over his head and the heat cranked, his whole body aches like he's gone twelve rounds with a champ, he's nearly dry-heaving...yeah, he's going through withdrawal. Which scares him _bad_, because he only remembers one dose and he's done that before while being under and never felt like this.

He _thinks_ he maybe called Carter, because he sees three missed calls from Carter's latest drop number when he checks his cell. The last is almost four hours ago according to the hotel clock--he's surprised Carter hasn't just come busting down his door. And then he hears "shave and a haircut, two bits" tapped out against that door. It's not exactly a unique knock, so he digs out the nine he's been carrying, relieved to see he still has it and no bullets are missing, before going to look out the peephole. Most of him breathes a sigh of relief when all he sees is Carter. He's not really looking forward to explaining his current state to Carter, but at least Carter isn't a _physical_ danger.

Carter takes one look at him and asks, "Are you blown and am I going to have to send you to rehab?"

He's staring at the bedspread right now, deliberately avoiding looking at Carter. Having to tell Carter that he may well have seriously fucked up is making him feel like a kid who's been called to the principal's office.

"Don't know. I don't remember a damn thing after getting my ass in a 'shoot up or we shoot you' situation--not what I might have said, not getting back here, not calling you if I did...And I'm not going to rehab. I'm not having that on my record. People get through this shit cold-turkey all the time, it just sucks like hell to do it that way. You're that worried about me, you can walk me through it." Dean's glad he _does_ remember that they gave him a clean set of works to shoot with--he's still getting tested since he strongly suspects they may have shot him up more than the single dose he knows about, but he clearly remembers tearing open the needle exchange bag.

"Yeah, you called me. Twice, actually. And you sounded out of it both times--the first time, I almost thought you were drunk-dialing. I've been getting Ty and Jaimie set up to go under to finish this off because you sounded in no shape to or I would have come to check on you sooner." Carter sounds honestly concerned--looks it, too, when Dean risks a glance at him. Dean appreciates the concern a little more than he should, because at least some of it seems to be for how _he's_ doing and not just for what this might mean for the case.

"Tell them they've got access to needle exchange gear. I was trying to get out of it by using 'I had a friend get hepC from sharing needles' and they just handed me a sealed bag with a clean set of works, and I'm almost positive they mentioned handing them out as a bonus for buying enough product." Ty and Jaimie need to know that--especially Jaimie. They may not be together even casually any more, but he doesn't want her having to detox _again_ because she went in without all the facts.

Carter takes in that information. "We're getting you out of here, since you aren't sure what they know. I've still got some work to do at the loft, so you can hang out with me until the worst of this passes. Do you think you could eat something, or are you still too dope-sick?"

"Just the thought of food is making me want to puke, so that doesn't really sound like a good idea." And that's the truth--if he had anything in his stomach, he'd be hunched over the toilet right now.

"Tea, maybe? Peppermint's good for nausea and something of a muscle relaxant too, because I bet you're hurting along with the wanting to throw up. The botanica down the street from the loft has enough herbs that they probably have some or at least something else that'll work."

Dean's got no idea why Carter knows that Botanica Milagro has a decent selection, but he doesn't really care either. Tea actually sounds like a good idea--he's kind of thirsty, and the thought of liquids doesn't bother him the way the thought of actual food does. Lacing it with a ton of sugar sounds even better. He nods as they collect the few belongings scattered around the room. He's paid up for the rest of the week, so they're not going to have to risk checking out.

He follows Carter to his car. Once he's in, he drops the passenger seat all the way back--he's going to try going back to sleep, because they're almost on the other side of town from the loft. He wakes up in the botanica parking lot when Carter asks him, "Other than tea, is there anything else you want?"

"Not that I can think of right now."

Carter walks in to find Rosalita Juarez at the counter of her cousin's store. He's grateful his Spanish is nearly fluent--Rosalita's always been friendly and helpful, but her English isn't the best.

"_Your usual_?" It's a sad commentary on his drinking habits that he _has _a usual hangover remedy, but it's an undeniable fact.

"_Not today, Rosalita. I have a friend who's sick to his stomach and just generally achy. What do you recommend?"_

_"We have a peppermint blend that might work. Hangover?" _which is a legitimate question under the circumstances.

_"Not quite."_

Rosalita just nods at that as she measures out several bagfuls of dried herbs. _"Steep one of these for at least ten minutes in a medium-size pot of boiling water. The darker it gets, the better. It's fine if he wants to add sugar--it shouldn't affect the way it works. It's got some herbs that are good for cleaning out your system, too. And if he wants, I can get you some that are just for that once he's feeling a little better."_

_"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the help."_ He pays Rosalita, then walks out the door to find Dean nearly curled up in a fetal position.

He's glad that there's a hot plate and some basic cookware at the loft already from _his_ herbal adventures, because Dean looks in no shape for another stop.

He practically has to hold Dean up to get him into the loft. Dean just collapses into his chair. Carter thinks the couch would probably be more comfortable, but he's not about to try moving Dean again. He does rouse him enough to get the hoodie on that Dean left here a while back--Dean's shivering slightly. He turns the heat up a bit, too. He's waiting until Dean's a little more conscious to try for the tea.

********

Dean's never been so glad that the loft's actually got a full bathroom complete with shower as he strips down and gets in after turning the water almost all the way hot. He feels disgusting thanks to the cold sweat that finally seems to have let up, and he's aching both from the aftereffects and from passing out in Carter's desk chair. He has a vague memory of Carter wiping his face at some point, which would have been much more fun if he'd been awake enough to really appreciate it. Carter touching him that _personally_ even just because he wasn't in shape to take care of himself is going to make great fantasy material.

The first time he ever jacked off thinking about Carter was a _long _time back--a few months after he'd joined his team, actually. And it scared him shitless once he'd gotten enough brain cells back to consciously realize that a) he'd been thinking about a guy and b) he _worked_ for that guy. Despite the fact that he'd looked at guys occasionally and wondered what they'd be like in bed, he'd never even taken it to the serious fantasy level before that night. Carter's been the one on his mind often enough since then for him to be pretty much past being scared, but he's never had the guts to make an actual move. He just hopes he didn't say anything too incriminating while he was passed out, because a drugged confession is _not_ how he wants Carter to find out both that he isn't all the way straight and that he's got X-rated feelings for him in particular.

Thinking about those X-rated feelings is having a predictable effect. Sure, he still hurts, but he's a guy--the pain's not enough to keep him from getting hard. Dean thinks Carter deserves a thank-you for getting him through this part at least. Specifically, he'd like to learn the practical details of giving a blow job. Yeah, it's definitely not something he's done before, but he's always been good at picking up new skills fast. And judging from the fact that some women who aren't exactly brain surgeons have given _him_ some good ones, it can't be _that_ difficult. He's stroking himself hard and fast, wondering about how Carter'd feel in his mouth, whether he'd be considerate and let him be the one in control or just fuck his mouth. He's tasted himself in women's mouths before and not been grossed out, so he isn't worried about that. It's not long before he comes, biting his lip to keep from saying Carter's name.

He can vaguely hear Carter talking on the phone in the next room when he comes out. The warmth of the shower leaves him quickly, and the cool air from the fan is drying the drops of water that his quick toweling off didn't take care of and making him even colder. He starts to shiver again, and the aches that the pounding water temporarily eased are returning with a vengeance**.**He wishes he had some clean clothes here--maybe if he's really lucky, Carter's left some from one of the times he stayed over.

He's doing his best to eavesdrop on Carter's conversation. Judging from the little bits he's hearing, Carter's probably talking to Jaimie, maybe even Ty.

"Not fine right now...planning on taking him home with me. may have to shoot up..." He's glad Carter's taking him home. Right now, he knows he needs someone to make sure he doesn't end up any worse off than he already is. And given his attraction to him, Carter being that someone is _just fine _with him. He trusts Carter to take care of him without overdoing it.

Dean's still thirsty, but he's also still pretty sick to his stomach. He's not ready to risk putting anything, even liquids, in his system right now, so he's glad Carter's not trying to get him to as they leave.

******

Dean passes out almost as soon as he hits Carter's guest room bed, barely bothering to get his shoes and clothes off. Maybe he shouldn't be sleeping naked in Carter's house, but hey, if Carter gets an eyeful, Dean's fine with that as long as he likes what he sees. He's not sure how long he's been out when he hears a quiet knock on the bedroom door. He tells Carter, "Come in. I'm awake and feeling a bit better."

Carter opens the door and asks, "Enough better to try eating some soup, maybe some crackers?"

Dean thinks about that briefly. His stomach's still not 100%, but that sounds like he might be able to handle it. Worst case scenario, he'll actually have something to puke up. "I think so. And that tea you got earlier sounds like a good idea, too--lots of sugar."

He doesn't bother getting up as Carter walks down the hall to his kitchen. He hears the beep of a microwave after a couple of minutes. When Carter walks back in, carrying a small bowl of delicious-smelling soup and a spoon in one hand and a gas station refill mug in the other, he says thanks as he props himself up with a pillow, letting the comforter and sheets slide down his chest almost to his waist. Carter's eyes flicker over the exposed skin and then drop to the pile of clothes on the floor, and Dean smiles inwardly at the heat in them. He wasn't really _trying_ to put on a show, but Carter appreciating the view is definitely a good sign that his feelings aren't one-sided.

He takes a look at the soup--this doesn't look like it came straight out of a Campbell's can. Doesn't smell like it, either. When he takes a careful spoonful, his taste buds are impressed. It's not _spicy_, which is a good thing right now, but it's definitely flavorful. He tries a sip of tea since the soup was good. Carter took the 'lots of sugar' to heart--it's sweet with just a hint of mintyness and a barely-there taste of some other herbs he can't identify.

When he's finished eating almost all the soup and drinking a fair amount of the tea, he asks, "Was that soup homemade? Because it was good enough to be."

"Not really. I took a couple cans of different flavored bean soups and blended them with enough water to thin it down a little, and then I threw a broken-up pack of ramen and some spices in and let it simmer while you were out. Made the tea, too. I figured if you woke up actually wanting something, I'd have it ready."

Dean's appreciating Carter taking care of him. This kind of treatment isn't something he gets often. And it only makes him want Carter more, because if he's willing to do this much _now_, what would he be willing to do if they were actually together?

The combination of the food and tea and the exhaustion from the drugs makes him fall back asleep shortly after Carter takes the nearly empty containers away.

Carter waits until he's sure that Dean's sound asleep and not likely to stir any time soon. He leaves a note just in case Dean _does _wake up before he goes to meet Ty and Jaimie to finalize the details of their cover. They've already made tentative contact with the dealers through their off-the-books informants, and the outlook seems to be favorable so far.

*********

It only takes Ty and Jaimie two days to set up a buy. Carter's glad, because he's _really_ looking forward to getting these guys off the streets. He hopes they're stupid enough to resist arrest.

Dean's been sleeping a lot. He's still hurting, and since they have no idea what's in his system, neither of them think even aspirin is a good idea, so he's been drinking a fair amount of Rosalita's tea because that hasn't caused any noticeable problems. Carter's been stretching his cooking skills trying to come up with something tasty that won't upset his still-touchy stomach, because Dean's usual eating habits are temporarily out of the question. And truthfully, although he would never have wished this on Dean, part of him's enjoying the chance to indulge his caretaking instincts the way he hasn't really been able to since Nicole.

Once the deal's been made, they flash their previously hidden badges and see the dealers' faces turn shocked and angry. All three have their guns out, too, hoping to avoid a chase.

Carter wants some information from them, and he wants it _now_. If he has to call in some of his contacts to get Dean medical help without having a stint in rehab go on his record, he will, but if they know something, they'd damn well better give it up. Because he'd like to know how much he actually needs to worry.

"So tell me, what did you dose my team member with?" Carter asks, calmly but with a distinct air of menace in his tone.

"Why should we tell you?" the dark-haired one challenged.

"So I _don't_ decide to rough you up and claim you resisted arrest. I'm a veteran cop. You're a couple of dealers, who do _you _think IA's going to believe?" Carter's not too impressed with this pair, even if he ignores the fact that Dean's _still _suffering the aftereffects of his drugging. He's pretty sure he could take them both without even working up much of a sweat.

"What about them?" The same guy replied, pointing at Jaimie and Ty.

"He's her ex and one of his best friends. I really don't think they're going to give a shit as long as I don't actually kill you or do _permanent_ damage. Hell, they might even help."

That seemed to be the tipping point, as the blond guy answered, "A blend of a few designer drugs loosely based on heroin. If he hasn't croaked yet, he _should_ be okay after it all works its way out of his system. The paying customers just get single drugs, so I really don't know any more than that."

When Carter moves to handcuff the first guy as Jaimie takes care of the one who'd given up the information, he tries to break free. Carter's grateful for the excuse to get a little rough--he punches him a few times _hard_, deliberately targeting areas that are going to hurt for a good long while and leave as few visible marks as possible. He feels his hands collide with this asshole's body, and despite the slight pain, he's glad about knowing it's far worse for him. He makes sure to clamp the handcuffs down too tight as well, trying to bruise his wrists and inflict the maximum amount of discomfort. Because he wants to cause some pain for this guy after seeing what Dean's still going through.

Ty's just looking on, and the smile on his face is downright deadly even though the expression in his eyes shows he's troubled by Carter's actions. Ty may not quite have Carter's _personal_ motivation to hurt these guys, but Dean's been his teammate and friend long enough that Carter's not surprised when he says, "Trying to get loose was a damn dumb thing to do. But then, you guys aren't exactly rocket scientists. You messed with one of his people--you could have killed him. And he's like a mama bear with her cubs when it comes to protecting his team. Consider yourself lucky you're still breathing. I would have backed up his story if he _had_ shot you, and she would have too."

Their backup _finally_ arrives to take the dealers into custody. As usual, they fade as soon as they can. They've already made plans to do the necessary paperwork tomorrow--none of them are in the proper frame of mind to tackle it right now.

***********

Dean wanders into Carter's kitchen in a pair of black boxer briefs. He's still not 100%, but he feels a _hell of a lot_ better than he has been. When he sees the scrawled note on the table saying _Bust. Be back later_, his first reaction is worry. Even though he's experienced enough to know that his being there while he's not totally recovered would actually increase the danger to Carter, he still doesn't like the thought of not being there to watch his back. He trusts Ty and Jaimie, but they don't have the same stake in Carter's wellbeing that he does.

His next reaction is _hey, this might be a good time to get Carter to actually make a move_. Because _he_ always comes back from a bust wanting to fuck, and sex on an adrenaline rush is a hell of a ride. He's planning how to set the mood and keep a bit of plausible deniability in case Carter _doesn't _go for it.

He searches through Carter's CD collection to find something that's properly seductive. When he finds a burned CD labeled "Blues mix", he listens to a bit of the first song and decides it'll work. Blues isn't exactly his usual style, but he's fucked to it before.

He cranks up the heat a bit because he's still kind of cold and he doesn't think goosebumps are sexy. After the room reaches a comfortable temperature, he lays down on Carter's couch, still in just his underwear. The soft, sueded fabric feels surprisingly sensual against his bare skin. He hopes the picture he's making is attractive enough to get Carter interested. Because he's _still_ not ready to be the one to make the first move. He's plenty ready to follow up if Carter does make one, though.

When Carter knocks and then unlocks the door, Dean recognizes the restless, keyed-up look from previous busts. He hopes the bust went well, but he's not about to ask right now and ruin the mood he's trying to set.

The sudden flare of heat in Carter's eyes as he sees Dean half-naked and on display is even more intense than it was when Dean was laying in bed his first night at Carter's. That's enough for Dean--he looks back at Carter, trying to put his own desire into that look. He sits up, motioning Carter to sit next to him on the couch.

Carter takes the eyefucking to a new level when he turns towards him and starts kissing him, open-mouthed, teasing Dean's tongue with his. Dean moves to straddle him, grinding down and feeling Carter get hard as he does. Just that kiss is enough to turn Dean on more than he's been in a long time.

Dean's wondering what that tongue could do to _other_ parts of his anatomy. He's also thinking about what he could do to Carter with his. When Carter finally breaks the kiss, Dean slides down between his knees. He unzips Carter's pants and pulls Carter's cock out from the flap of his boxers. Carter looks slightly surprised, but it doesn't seem to be denting his hard-on any. Dean's a little nervous, so he starts slow. He doesn't try to go all the way down yet, just licks around the head, getting used to having a cock in his mouth.

He's pleasantly surprised to find that it feels oddly _right._ Different than going down on a woman by a long shot, but this definitely doesn't feel wrong. In fact, it's pretty arousing, especially when he hears Carter's breathing change as he pulls out a trick he's always liked and teases the big vein with his tongue. He decides that it's time to step this up, so he starts taking Carter deeper, a little at a time, watching Carter's face carefully. He's wrapped a hand around the base--he's not about to try deep-throating until he gets a _lot_ more experience. He accidentally scrapes his teeth slightly. Carter lets out a little moan at that. At first, Dean thinks it was pain until he sees the heightened arousal on Carter's face.

He's turned on enough by that look and the physical sensations to get his dick out and start jacking himself off with his free hand. Carter puts a hand over his and says, surprisingly coherently, "Wait and I'll take care of you properly." Dean's pretty damn hard by now, but Carter's promise to get him off is enough to make him willing to wait for his. He's not sure what Carter has in mind, but he's damn sure going to enjoy _whatever_ he chooses to do. He starts up again, a little faster now that he's getting accustomed to this.

His cheek and jaw muscles are starting to hurt some, so he tries another trick he's always liked and starts humming softly. Carter gets even harder at that, and the taste of what must be precome is getting stronger. He's matching the rhythm he's using with his hand, listening carefully to the sounds Carter's starting to make. Carter finally puts a hand on his head, and Dean takes the cue to pull off and finish this by hand. He's not quite ready to swallow yet--that's something else he's not doing until he's got the basics down cold. A few more strokes, and Carter lets out a final groan as he comes. Dean's got a grin on his face, both because that was pretty damn hot and because this means Carter's going to return the favor once he comes down.

Carter's hand is warm on his dick, and when he starts actually moving it, twisting every so often and dragging a nail carefully up the vein like Dean had been with his tongue earlier, Dean's thoroughly appreciating it. Carter may not be returning the favor _exactly_, but what he _is _doing is turning him on enough that Dean doesn't really give a shit. And hell, he's planning on doing this again, as often as possible--they'll have plenty of time to try out other things later. Dean was seriously worked up already, and when Carter bites gently underneath his collarbone and pinches a nipple lightly, it's enough to push him over the edge.

Dean's first thought once he's recovered enough to _have_ one is _well, I guess this means I'm not going to be fucking around any more_. Carter's possessive enough that if he's the one in Dean's bed, he's going to want to be the _only_ one there. And if this is an accurate preview of coming attractions, Dean's fine with that. He's _done_ the one-night-stand thing plenty of times--it's not like he hasn't had a chance to sow his wild oats. Regular, really good sex that he doesn't have to seduce a stranger into sounds like a definite change for the better.

His second thought is enough to make him get up and hold his hand out to Carter. He can't go again yet, but he's already thinking about round two, and he wants it in Carter's bed, with all their clothes off and space to move. Somehow, he doesn't think Carter will mind.

Fin


End file.
